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NASA and other international space organizations have been developing rovers for the past century that are designed for planets with rocky terrains such as Mars. These designs are focused on using specific types of wheels that have a certain amount of flexibility and tensile strength to allow them to drive smoothly on these surfaces. However, there hasn’t been much research done on the mechanisms that these rovers would need if they were used on planets with sandy and coarse terrain. The wheels would get stuck deep in the sand, considering that these rovers are as heavy as 2,000 pounds. Some Mars rovers such as the Spirit Rover got stuck in sand in 2010, which caused it to stop communicating with Earth. Using 4-bar linkages as the dynamic mechanism of rovers would prevent such issues from happening, as seen from linkages such as the Jansen Linkage which was designed to travel on sandy surfaces. This research will use softwares such as Mathematica, MATLAB, and Linkage to model different loci that could be produced using different bar lengths and Solidworks to design the most optimal linkage. FEA was also run on these linkages to ensure that there isn’t a disproportionate amount of stress on any of the links. An Arduino and multiple sensors will be mounted on the final TitanWandelaar in order to simulate what a rover would look like. A camera will be mounted to the Arduino to see if the linkage mechanism provides stable enough dynamics. A sand analysis station will also be mounted on the rover in order to simulate the ones that have been mounted on all the Mars rovers.

Semiconductors, Manufacturing, Mathematics, 3D modeling / Design, CAD, Prototyping, Quantum Dots, Display Technology

TitanWandelaar: Four-Bar Linkage Mechanical Walker for Mars Rovers

AutoMelter is an automatic device that uses an Arduino along with a variety of sensors to melt snow whenever it senses its presence. AutoMelter has a few different applications, I will be discussing its two main ones. The first one is melting snow off driveways. There are three options for clearing snow off driveways: shoveling manually, using a snowplow, or owning a heated driveway. AutoMelter is the best alternative to all three of these options since it is the least expensive and most time-efficient. AutoMelter combines the advantages of each option and eliminates the disadvantages of any. AutoMelter could also be seen as an update to the outdated system of gritters (salt trucks). Salt trucks have also been proven to be expensive since they are seasonal, and since they only start operating after the snowstorm starts, many accidents can still occur. 2,000 deaths and 140,000 injuries occur every year in the US due to snowy and icy roads despite gritters. AutoMelter would eliminate most of these accidents since it starts working instantly as soon as it senses snowfall, preventing snow from even sticking in the first place. It works by spraying a solution that melts the snow.

Basic Mechanics, Electronics, Robotics

AutoMelter: An Anti-Snow System for Driveways

- An informative and narrative piece that expresses the symptoms and outcomes of having ulcerative colitis. - 4-6 essays explaining the significant moments and chemical/biological background of my condition.

Narrative Medicine, Creative Non-Fiction, Immunology, Biology

Internal Confusion: Narrative Medicine Reflections of Ulcerative Colitis

The changes sleep undergoes during early life offers the conclusion that sleep, particularly during early life, is intertwined with the development of the brain. Sleep disruption can emerge as a consequence of ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and can cause long-term differences in the way the brain functions and the expression of behaviors. During the third week of gestation neurons and glia, two cell types that are integral to the creation of the nervous system, begin to form. Less than adequate sleep during the first trimester of pregnancy (less than 5 hours per night) can increase the risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia arising as a complication of pregnancy during the third trimester, which can lead to numerous developmental issues in the long-term. Here I investigated the effects of frequent sleep disruption in pregnant mice with no genotype for ASD, as well as heterozygous and homozygous mice. I did this by introducing an environmental stressor for 10 seconds for every 99 seconds without one, as well as reducing the sleep cycle of the mice by 37.5% to ensure less than adequate sleep. I calculated this reduction in sleep length by taking human figures for sleep and then readjusting according to the sleep length of mice. This sleep disruption will occur mostly during the first trimester as this period has the greatest effects on the development of the fetal brain. For measuring early in life sleep disruption in mice, I follow the experimental method presented in the Lord et al. paper by introducing an environmental stressor for 10 seconds for every 99 seconds without one. The environmental stressor for the pregnant mice is the same for the mice in early development.

Neurodevelopment, Neurodegeneration, sleep, sleep medications/pharmacology, Autism, Schizophrenia

What is the likelihood of developing ASD as a result of sleep disruption during gestation compared to sleep disruption during early life in ASD model mice?

Every year, nearly 40 million people in the United States experience the agony of chronic migraines (Migraine Editorial Team 1). Several possible remedies for migraines have been discovered to date, the most prominent ones include various antiepileptic drugs such as divalproex sodium and topiramate, as well as beta (Amiri et al. 2021) blockers such as propranolol and timolol. However many of these treatments are not entirely effective treatments for patients who face chronic migraines due to their somewhat prosaic success rates. In 1985, researchers noticed the presence of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) in the plasma increased drastically in its levels during the presence of a migraine attack (Deen et al. 2). CGRP is a neuropeptide that  is involved in the dilation of both dural and cerebral blood vessels, and this interaction is believed to be the main cause of migraines. Generally, when migraines are treated with triptans (a common symptom relief medication), CGRP levels in the blood generally reduce. It was further found that certain CGRP inhibitors reduced neurogenic inflammation and lead to an increased reduction of pain during the migraine (Deen et al. 4). When faced with a multitude of treatment options for chronic migraines, one must consider inhibitors of the CGRP pathway as a possible alternative. CGRP inhibitors introduce a possible better treatment option than previous medicinal drugs. A few previously used CGRP inhibitors include erenumab, galcanezumab, and fremanezumab, which have recently been used to treat patients of chronic migraines. In this paper we will consider the various CGRP inhibitors and their advantages and disadvantages in the face of conventional chronic migraine treatment options.

Neuroscience and pain, cancer biology, autism

How does the use of various CGRP inhibitors in the treatment of migraines compare to the use of other more common treatments such as antiepileptic drugs or beta blockers?

As Earth begins to experience climate change, it inevitably will become inhabitable for human life. This evokes the dilemma of whether we should seek another habitable planet where the human race can begin life again. We eliminated the possibility of us inhabiting any other planet in our solar system since Earth is the only planet in our solar system within the habitable zone. This means it is the only planet that can harbor liquid water. This means that we would have to find a potentially habitable planet that is located outside our solar system which is what we would call an exoplanet. In order to achieve this, we studied previous research papers done by NASA and other astronomers and we found that the most Earth-like planet was discovered in the Cygnus constellation and is referred to as Kepler 452b. According to our findings, this planet was determined to be the most habitable for human life because of its rocky terrain and larger mass, its location in the habitable zone of the solar system, and the similarities between our host star and KIC 8311864. After researching and confirming Kepler 452b’s habitability, we are left with figuring out how the journey to Kepler 452b would work seeing as it is located 1,400 light years away from Earth. We will be using a simulation to demonstrate the journey of  how a spaceship can be launched at higher speeds using methods like the Hohman transfer to reach the Cygnus constellation in a shorter amount of time. Our results will be a demonstration of how humanity can begin life on another planet outside our solar system and how we could possibly travel outside our solar system under the likely circumstance that Earth will one day become inhabitable. 

Astrophysics, Astronomy

Journey to Kepler 452b

Recently, the psychological phenomenon known as priming has become a topic of discussion in the academic world. In 1996, Bargh et al demonstrated the implications that priming can have on the actions of participants. Since then, utilizing priming, researchers have been able to observe how certain stimuli influence behaviors and perceptions. This study seeks to expand on the current knowledge regarding priming and discover whether priming, specifically olfactory priming, has effects on cleanliness and food choice. After surveying for prior food preference and perceived hygiene, among other confounding variables, researchers will prime for either cleanliness or a particular food. This will be done by making the ambient environment of the room smell like a cleaning agent or that food. After completing an activity in that room, a buffet will be available, whereby individuals are permitted to wash their hands and select the food they would like to eat. Using this data, researchers will determine whether priming had an effect on the participants’ behaviors. If a statistically significant impact on behavior is observed, then priming did have an effect on the decisions made. The results of this research will contribute to the growing body of literature regarding priming and illustrate the impressionability of individuals in society.

Clinical psychology, geropsychology, mental health, dementia, research methods & statistics, integration of psychology and philosophy

A Comparative Analysis of the Impacts of Priming Between Behaviors with Varying Degrees of Influenceability

Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal cells that rapidly divide, evade cell death, and can metastasize
across an organism’s body. There are many hallmarks of cancer, such as avoiding immune destruction, replicating indefinitely, and destabilization of the genome, all of which pose as possible targets for cancer therapies. Due to the unstable nature of cancer, therapy and imaging are often difficult to perfect. For instance, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiotherapy––the three most common forms of cancer therapy––all can suppress cancer growth to an extent. However, these therapies can be toxic to healthy tissue by spreading harmful chemicals or radiation throughout the body. To combat this, new nanoparticle-based technologies, including immunotherapy and fluorescent imaging, have been used to specifically target cancer cells and encapsulate harmful drugs prior to release. This novel approach lowers toxicity and risk of off-target effects while enhancing therapeutic efficacy. In this project, I review multiple types of nanoparticle-based therapies that use nanotechnology to conjugate and combine cancer therapies. Among these methods are chemotherapy drugs, immunotherapy, fluorescent imaging agents, and radiation in combination with nanoparticles to create more efficient and effective cancer therapies and imaging techniques.  

cancer biology, immunology, bioengineering, synthetic biology, virology

Nanotechnology in Cancer Therapeutics and Diagnostics

This paper seeks to compare Japanese and German propaganda and ideology in the Second World War. It will analyze a variety of wartime postcards, propaganda, illustrations, art work, cartoons, and comic strips. Specifically, it will look at the ideological content of these images and show how they address the issue of race and imperialism in Asia. Additionally, it will showcase how Japanese propaganda utilized the formats of comedy and advertisements to spread their message. The paper will show how Japanese propaganda was a tool in justifying Japan's imperialistic ambitions. While there is plenty of information on German propaganda, there is very little historical research dealing with Japanese propaganda and their Ideology. This paper aims to delve deep into the aspects of Japanese ideology and propaganda mainly during the Second World War.

Japanese history and literature, German history, comparative history, history of the Second World War, history of social movements, history of science and technology, environmental history

From Words to Weapons: Japanese Ideology and Propaganda during World War II

This meeting was more of a check-in for Amey and myself to rearrange his schedule. He is currently working on a policy memo on the Indian coal industry and recommendations. We will then expand this into a bigger research paper on the industry and recommendations to improve its sustainability in an economically-friendly way.

History, English, Psychology, Environmental Science/Studies, Political Science, Environmental Policy, Environmental Justice, Immigration Rights, Social Justice, Advocacy

Coal Mining Sustainability in India

This project is aiming to integrate a facial recognition system in Amazon’s Ring. Amazon Ring will announce “____ is here” based on the data it has collected through the app. The ring will use a database that the user makes in order to match people’s faces with their names. We will use both a feature-based method and deep learning method to perform this task and compare the advantages/disadvantages of both approaches. The end product will be a final report that discusses the findings of the project and a final product of a face recognition program that is integrated with the Amazon Ring.

Robotics, deep learning, control systems

Facial Recognition System for Amazon Ring

For now, Tamish is still exploring different regions in the world and their access to mirco finance. The different data sources contain partial information on access, outstanding loan amounts, social indicators etc. It is part of his task to look into the various sources and decide which are interesting and relevant. Beyond this, he is also to look into census data, or data about the MIX index specific to India. This is also subject to change should he decide not to pursue the topic.


Natural Language Processing, Financial research, Statistical Modelling

A case study on micro finance 

Asha will be synthesizing and reviewing the literature that examines active music therapy on depression. So far, she has completed an initial search of the literature examining numerous types of music therapy on various outcomes, including depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, dementia, and psychosis symptoms. Asha is most interested in exploring the effects of music on depression. Due to the limited research on specific age ranges, she will be examining the effects of music on depression across all ages. Additionally, since there were many types of music therapies, she is going to focus on active music therapy. Once she has an adequate understanding of the current literature on this topic, she will also propose a research study on this question that fills the gaps in the literature.

My research focuses on the neurobiological, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence the development of psychiatric illness.

The effects of active music therapy on depression across ages

In the cancer field, are genetics our friend or foe? Genetic mutations are one of the main causes of cancer and yet these genetic mutations are how newer and more precise technologies and tools are being made to attack cancer. From CRISPR Cas9 altering genetics in therapies to leveraging targeted immunotherapies to attack specific cancers with genetic mutations, there is so much new development that has occurred. Throughout this newer development, there are controversies and ethical discussions for each therapy and whether they can be used in full or not. Many of these technologies are still in development and have much more work that still needs to be done to make them more accessible to many groups of people and provide a variety of treatment options.

I hope to learn about how cancer is developed in relation to genetics and what technologies are being made using genetics to better treat cancer.

Shreya is interested in providing a comprehensive overview of RA. She will explain the genetic causes of the disease and symptoms that the disease presents with. She will then explore how it presents within populations by looking at patterns and trends of disease development. She will explain what treatments are currently available for the disease and possibly include patient stories. She will conclude by comparing and contrasting RA to Lupus.

Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Genetics, Psychology, Sociology, English, Religious Studies, Theology, Philosophy, Indian Classical Dance (Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi), Cultural Studies

A comprehensive overview at Rheumatoid Arthritis

Schizophrenia is a very complex mental illness that is defined by a collection of symptoms including psychosis. It affects how a person, thinks, feels, and behaves. Scizophrenia affects every 1 in 300 people worldwide and the etiology is still up for debate. In this paper, I am drawing on research findings from neuroscience and biological psychiatry to take a deeper look at the environmental and biological underpinnings of schizophrenia.  The discussion of how theories related to genes, biological workings, childhood, and stress can lead to diagnosis. However, there are many limitations of these theories, with this research, it is possible to look to potential avenues of treatment for Schizophrenia.

Clinical Psychology (Mental Health), Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, Education (K-12), Neuroscience

Environmental and Biological Factors Contributing to Schizophrenia

Over the course of the pandemic, hospitals nationwide have spent more than $3 billion on personal protective equipment (PPE) for both workers and patients alike, imposing a serious financial strain on hospitals. Also, disposing of PPE creates waste that significantly pollutes the environment. Wearable devices have been developed to decrease the necessity of PPE as an alternative to recording vital signs, however they are susceptible to flawed readings and don’t perform equally well on all individuals. Here, I investigated creating a wearable device that could autonomously measure the vital signs that are largely indicative of the onset of Covid-19. The device is a wrist and finger monitor capable of recording the heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and temperature of patients in a non-invasive manner. The device is constructed by connecting a MAX30102 and MCP9808 sensors to an Arduino Uno. After future developments, it would record the data in a web application for workers to monitor, which could easily be shared through a Bluetooth connection. These sensors would also be linked to an OLED display and an HC-05 Bluetooth module to present and store the updated readings. This device holds prospects for significantly reducing the costs of supply chain goods for hospitals so that more funds can be allocated toward research. It’ll also aid in reducing the ecological footprint of hospitals across the world. The device would be easily accessible to low-income communities, lessening the health crisis in developing and underdeveloped nations.

3D bioprinting, biophysics, tissue engineering,

Developing a Wearable Device that can Monitor the Onset of Covid-19

My student's topic encompasses the environmental justice issue the Bay Mills tribal community is facing. The tribal community experiences inadequate healthcare accessibility and infrastructure. Furthermore, the community now faces an environmental exposure threat. The oil drilling and pipelines pollute the water surrounding the community with PFAS and other chemicals. These chemicals contaminate the water, soil, and fish the tribal community is reliant upon. The memo will introduce these issues and explore recommendations for future intervention plans.

Public Health, Biology, Marine Biology/Science, Oceanography, Environmental Public Health, Climate Change

Memo: Risk Assessment of the Bay Mills Indian Population of Michigan to Stabilize Health System for Environmental Exposure to Stabilize  

White dwarf stars are the final evolutionary stage of heavenly bodies not massive enough to become neutron stars. They have a high mass density and can exist together as binary star systems (Silbar and Reddy 2003, 7). Such a system consists of two dwarf stars or one white dwarf and one companion star revolving around a common centre of mass. Due to their large distance from the Earth, small radii, and considerable separation from each other, it can be difficult to calculate the mass of these objects.

The most common method of calculating the mass of such a system is through the classical approach. This encompasses the calculation of the gravitational force between the two stars using Newton’s Law of Gravity. By using Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion, we can find the system’s net mass, and by comparing the respective distances of the stars from the barycentre, their individual masses can be calculated (“Binary and Variable Stars”, n.d.). On the other hand, gravitational lensing relies on the General Relativistic framework -- which accounts for the curvature of space-time -- to measure the deflection of light from a distant source by the test body (a dwarf star, in this case). This method, though considered more accurate, requires a rather complex mathematical model for obtaining the stellar mass.

This project focuses on comparing the accuracy of the classical scheme to the general relativistic one and finding out if the classical framework can accurately determine the mass of the star, or if general relativistic corrections are required. Both of these approaches are explained and explored by considering Sirius A and B as examples. Finally, I consider the Stein 2051 B star as a case study (“Measuring a White Dwarf's Mass” 2017). I developed a classical model to predict the mass of the test star’s red giant companion by varying the distance between the two bodies, which becomes a free parameter in my model.

The methods explored in this project are useful for calculating the masses of not only dwarf stars but also other heavenly bodies (exoplanets, for example). Understanding the limitations of classical mechanics provides an insight into the tools needed to study these systems. Combined with spectroscopy, this can help astrophysicists in determining the size and composition of exoplanets and might give humanity an insight into the existence of extraterrestrial life.


References
“Binary and Variable Stars”  Australia Telescope National Facility. https://www.atnf.csiro.au/outreach/education/senior/astrophysics/binary_mass.html.
Accessed November 29, 2021.

“Measuring a White Dwarf's Mass”  SpaceRef. http://spaceref.com/astronomy/measuring-a-white-dwarfs-mass.html. (2017)

“Neutron Stars for Undergraduates.” Silbar, Richard R., and Sanjay Reddy. Am.J.Phys, 40. 10.1119/1.1703544, November 2003.

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